Mark Zuckerberg Plans To Rid The World Of Disease

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan want to rid the world of disease, and they've just pledged $3 billion over the course of the next decade toward curing, preventing and treating diseases via the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, USA Today reports.

On Wednesday, Dr. Chan, who is a pediatrician, gave an emotional and personal speech to announce this health initiative at an event in San Francisco. She said,

We are the limit of what we understand about science and disease. We want to push back that boundary. By investing in science today, we hope to build a future in which all of our children can live long and rewarding lives.

The couple realize their goal is lofty, and don't believe they can fully eradicate disease from the world.

As Chan put it,

We believe we can cure, prevent or manage all disease within our children's lifetime. It doesn't mean that no one will get sick, but they should get sick a lot less.

Chan and Zuckerberg will collaborate with scientists, doctors, engineers and universities as they strive toward this bold, but benevolent, goal.

The $3 billion initiative is to be led by Cori Bargmann, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University in New York.